Elly De La Cruz is one of the most exciting players in all of Major League Baseball, but the Cincinnati Reds budding young star is in midst of a horrendous slump. Since the All-Star break, De La Cruz's numbers have tanked, and the Reds' shortstop is hitting just .215/.250/.309 since August 1. Strange as it may sound, perhaps this coming winter will be the best time for the Reds and De La Cruz to work out a long-term deal.
Obviously it takes two to tango, and much like Matt McLain did this past offseason, De La Cruz may decide that signing a long-term contract coming off a down-year wouldn't be the smartest decision.